Car seat safety: How to choose and use a car seat

Correct installation is the key

Installing a car seat correctly can be harder than it sounds. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the most common mistakes people make with car seats include threading seat belts through the wrong slots, not using a locking clip when one is required, failing to buckle in the child, and installing the seat too loosely.

A correctly installed seat will not be able to be moved more than an inch forward or to either side. The NHTSA reports that 3 out of 4 car seats are installed or used incorrectly.

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is a standardized system for car seat installation that stabilizes the seat and reduces the potential for head injury. The LATCH system makes using your car seat easier since it allows you to install it without having to use your car's seat belts.

All cars manufactured after 2002 are required to have two lower anchors in the backseat at the intersection of the seat back and cushion and several anchors at the top of the car's seat.

All child safety seats manufactured after 2002 are required to have tethers or hooks that connect to the car's anchors.

Front-facing infant and toddler seats must also have a top tether that secures the seat to a top anchor in the car.

Booster seats sometimes have LATCH attachments underneath the seat, but LATCH isn't required since boosters are designed to be used with lap and shoulder belts.

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